


The Unknown Quantities of Arsonist and Bathtubs

by theoriginalicecreamqueen



Series: Flashwaveweek 2017 [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Explicit Language, Flashwaveweek2017, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, mermaid au, tropey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2018-12-21 09:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11940768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoriginalicecreamqueen/pseuds/theoriginalicecreamqueen
Summary: Prince Barry Allen had been told his entire life to stay away from humans. They were dangerous, barely more than beast, and they had killed his parents too. Of course that all flies out the window when an injury forces him to rely on a group of humans to get home and save his kingdom.Barry got a lot on his plate, so naturally this is when he starts to fall in love. If only Mick was a merman.





	1. Chapter 1

 

Barry woke up gasping and affrighted. His head was above the water. Why would he only be half submerged? This was awful, especially since he was touching something hard, smooth, and completely unfamiliar under him. Wherever he was, it wasn’t on sand or a rock.

 

The water felt wrong too. Barry was used to the water of the seas. The water should have been constantly moving around him, whereas this water was completely still. Worse, this water was completely, totally fresh. He couldn’t sense even a bit of salt in the water. Technically speaking, he didn’t actually need the salt to survive, but suddenly being without it made him feel absolutely horrible. There was this deep ache in his chest that he’d never felt before, and Barry figured that must be what was causing it.

 

There was nothing recognizable around him, not that he could sense. Barry refused to open his eyes to make sure. He was too afraid at what he was going to find around him. Barry wasn’t sure where he was, but he had a horrible, stinking suspicion it was somewhere unfamiliar within the world of humans.

 

“Oh good. You’re awake,” a low, masculine voice spoke from a few feet away from him. Barry squeezed his eyes shut tighter as he pursed his lips. It wasn’t enough to stop the pained whimper from escaping his lips. The voice was beautiful and it was obvious the man was attempting to calm him down, but he too afraid for that to work.

 

“Don’t you worry, doll. I’m not gonna hurt you,” the voice continued. Barry wanted to believe it, but every instinct inside of him was screaming at him to panic. He couldn’t ignore that feeling.

 

Barry was so focused on keeping his panic to himself that he didn’t notice when the stranger moved closer. At least, he hadn’t noticed until the man placed a hand on his shoulder. Their sudden connection startled Barry enough that his eyes flew open, his green eyes meeting his companions warm, brown orbs. The kindness he saw there almost soothed him, but that effect was completely negated by the horrifying sight of his lower body. Barry’s worst fear was being realized; this man was a human.

 

Now that Barry’s eyes were open, he couldn’t stop staring at this strange place. There was so many walls around them, most of which appeared to be made of something similar to the odd apparatus that held him. That thing was the worst of it all. It was painfully small, and there was no way out. Barry was completely trapped.

 

“Shh now. There’s no need for those tears. I’m not gonna hurt you,” the man assured him, rubbing circles as Barry’s shoulder as he spoke. It felt nice, calming. Barry couldn’t take it. He pulled himself into the far corner of this strange container, as far away from the stranger and his even stranger white chair as Barry could get.

 

“Why did you kidnap me?” Barry burst out suddenly. The words were out of him before he could think to stop himself. It was completely stupid of him. He was at this stranger's mercy, and something told him he didn’t actually want to know what horrible reason this man had for taking him.

 

“Kidnap? I saved you,” the man exclaimed, the calming tone he was using dropped in favor of what sounded like surprise. “You don’t remember what happened, do you?”

 

Barry tried to think, to clear the fog of fear, panic, and something else - some other feeling he couldn’t place -  that was keeping him from remembering how he ended up here. He could feel something on the edges of his mind, but the more he tried to focus on it, the more it seemed to slip further from his grasp.

 

“I don’t - I can’t remember what happened to me. Why did I need saving?” wailed Barry. He didn’t necessarily trust whatever answers this human gave him, but it wasn’t like he could ask anyone else.

 

Humans had caused nothing but grief for Barry and his people over the years. They chased them to satisfy their own pointless urge to conquer and claim, took far more than their fair share of wildlife to feed their people, and polluted the water with their industry. Humanity may have considered themselves a noble species, but to mermaids they were little more than particularly savage animals.

 

Barry had even more reason than most to hate them. It was humans like this one who had killed Barry’s parents on one of their many pointless quest to find merpeople. His tutor, Lord Eobard, had barely escaped the attack with his life. This man’s species orphaned Barry, and left Central Kingdom without a proper ruler until Barry was of 25. Sure, his foster-father and Regent Joe West did a find job ruling their home in his stead, but it had disheartened their Central Kingdom and caused many to lose faith in the Allen family.

 

He couldn’t believe that he’d been foolish enough to be seen by a human, much less end up entirely at one’s mercy. Lord Eobard had been insisting for years that humans were dangerous beast, and that they would as soon torture or slay Barry as they would any other creature in the oceans. Eobard… why did the thought of his tutor jar something in him? Barry closed his eyes to think, screwing them shut tightly, but the memory just wouldn’t come. Were they together when Barry was taken?

 

“Doll? You remembering something?” the man asked, apparently recognizing the look on his face. Barry quickly opened his eyes again, and took in his companion’s broad form. Under any other circumstances the man would have beautiful, but all Barry could think now was how much damage a man of that size could do.

 

“No,” Barry lied. He didn’t need to share his suspicions with this man. If he knew Eobard was out there too, he might go back for him. Plus, if Barry did start to remember, the similarities between the man’s story and his own memories would give him a better idea of what this man was intending to do to him.

 

“Right then,” the man responded slowly, a tense expression overtaking his face. Crap, the man must have been able to tell Barry was lying. Iris always said he was terrible at it. Unfortunately for Barry, the man started to speak again before Barry could think of something more convincing.

 

“I dunno what happened to you out in the water or anything, but you got hurt. Badly too. Those bandages on your chest are covering up a nasty stab wound. It looks like somebody ran you threw with somethin’. It missed all the important parts, so when I found you on the shore, I was able to drag you back here and have a doctor friend come treat you. You’re damn lucky to be alive, y’know.”

 

Barry looked down at the man’s words and realized that at least some of that story was true. His chest was covered in some sort of fluffy white bandages, and his chest was absolutely aching. Barry had thought it was just the abrupt change from sea to fresh water, but now that he concentrated on the pain, he could feel it radiating from a single spot, close to his heart. He still wasn’t sure if he believe this man though. If he was stabbed, why didn’t it hurt more?

 

“It doesn’t hurt more because you’re high as a kite. My friend brought some painkillers with her to help ease the ache. Believe me though, once we start weaning you off ‘em, you’re gonna feel like shit,” the stranger told him. Barry flushed when he realized the man answered his question because he had apparently been speaking his thoughts aloud.

 

Well, that made sense. He did still feel pretty strange - almost floaty. The more he calmed down, the more the feeling enveloped him. He’d never had any human drugs before so he couldn’t be certain, but it was how Joe and Eobard had described them. Of course, they’d also said it would be far more of an unpleasant sensation, but Barry had always guessed that was more due to the fact they wanted to keep Barry away from them. Some of his kind developed serious issues with human medicines. Still, Barry knew his growing trust in this strange man was foolish.

 

“How do I know you didn’t stab me?” he asked.

 

“Why would I have saved you if I was the one who stabbed you?” countered the man.

 

“To study me, of course. Your kind is always trying to captures one of mine for your sick experiments,” Barry reminded his companion. After all, that was the most common cause of human violence against mermaids.

 

The reasonableness of his inquiry made the strangers reaction all the more insulting. The man burst out laughing, first with smaller chuckles he was obviously trying to contain, but they quickly gave way to laughter than filled the bathroom with the cheery sound as it shook the large man’s entire frame.

 

“What? It’s a legitimate question!” Barry insisted over the man’s laughter. “It’s kind of what humans are known for among my kind.”

 

“It’s not… I’m not laughing at that. It’s a fair thought, and I’m sorry I didn’t do more to make your realize that wasn’t going to happen,” the man forced out between his laughter as he seemed to be willing himself to calm down.

 

The stranger waited until he finally had stopped laugh before continuing, although the amusement had far from faded from his expression. Barry decided he kind of liked it. The smile he held and the twinkle in his eyes made the man even more beautiful. “I’m a career criminal doll, not some fancy scientist. And before you freak out about that, I can assure you my crew doesn’t hurt people. No torture, raping, killing, or human trafficking.”

 

“I’m not human,” Barry pointed out. Admittedly it was not his brightest moment, but the words were out of his mouth before he could even think to play to the man’s admitted distaste for harming people.

 

“Just a term, Doll. Means we don’t sell things with a soul, something you obviously aren’t lacking. Not what this spirit. So calm down before you tear those stitches and we gotta get Shawna back in here. She’s got a date tonight, and she’ll be pissed at you and me both if she has to cancel.”

 

Barry felt like his brain was completely overload. He had been close to dying? And it was _humans_ of all the creatures in the world that that saved him. He wasn’t sure how to thank the man, but before he could consider it, his mouth started running again on it’s own. At least Barry this time he knew that he could blame drugs.

 

“Why do you keep calling me Doll? Are those not children’s toys here too?” Barry changed the subject. His head felt fuzzy, but something about the nickname felt important.

 

At Barry’s question, the other man suddenly turned a light, delicate pink. It was beyond adorable, especially for such a large, gruff-looking man.

 

“No, they are. It’s just a nickname. It’s not exactly like I found you with a nametag or anything. Needed something to call you,” the man, who Barry was just now realizing he didn’t actually know the name of either, told him.

 

“Oh! I’m Barry. Barry Allen. Thanks for saving me life, I guess. And you are…” Barry trailed off hopefully.

 

“Mick Rory,” the man - Mick - said with a small smile that Barry felt like was reserved just for him. The two kept smiling at each other, leaning quickly closer to each other as they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Barry wasn’t fully sure what was possessing him, but something inside him told him to chase the feelings inside Mick’s presence was creating.

 

The door was suddenly thrown open, forcing both him and Mick to jump back. Barry, in turn, grabbed his ribs as they throbbed painfully at the unexpected movement. Oh, that had not been smart.

 

“Oh good, the kid isn’t dying. Would’ve been a pain after all the trouble you dragged me into so we could get him back here. Certainly sounded like _something_ was dying in here,” a new man drawled, high-pitched and nasally in a way that should have made his calm, scathing tone impossible.

 

Like Mick, this man had a roughness to his appearance. He appeared just as tall as Mick was, now that he was finally off the chair beside Barry, but far leaner. Something about the way he held himself screamed danger. However, the roguish twinkle in his smirk was offset by enough kindness in crystal blue eyes that Barry didn’t panic again.

 

“I was laughing, you asshole. Kid’s fine. Right?” Mick told the man, the accompany eye roll he shared with Barry filled with fondness for the dramatic man.

 

Barry felt a strange twinge in his chest at the thought. Were these men perhaps together? Barry didn’t like the thought, although he knew it was silly. He just met Mick, not to mention the fact they weren’t even the same species. Why did Barry care if Mick was dating the newest handsome human Barry met.

 

“Um… Yes? Mostly. Now that you ask, I am kind of hungry. I don’t suppose you’ve got anything to eat?” Barry asked. He hadn’t realized it until Mick asked, but now that he’d realized how hungry he was, it was like nothing else could permeate his mind. Barry wasn’t sure if it was the painkillers, or if he’d just been out for that long.

 

“Not made yet, unfortunately. We weren’t exactly using this safehouse until Mick found you, and he’s been too busy tending to you to cook. I’m Len, by the way. Mick’s partner,” Len informed him with a cheery smirk. It didn’t even sour when Mick stomped on his foot, although his grin did appear more strained.

 

“Partner?” Barry felt like his heart was breaking at the realization. He’d thought - well, it didn’t matter. Barry was wrong. No one ever thought of him like that, not unless they were looking at more of the potential gain than dating the heir to Central Kingdom could get them.

 

“Criminal partner only kid. No need to look so put out, other than the fact Mickey here probably thinks it’s adorable,” Len snickered, making Barry’s heart leap. Barry didn’t care how apparently obvious his growing crush was on his savior. Mick looked just embarrassed enough that it was probably returned.

 

However, Mick was much more violent about it then Barry would have been. Mick stomped roughly on Len’s foot again. “Don’t call me Mickey, you ass. And be nice to Barry. He hasn’t done anything to deserve you annoying him.”

 

“He has too! Barry here - I assume that’s your name right, kid?” Len waited for Barry’s answering nod before he continued his complaint. “Right, Barry here has kept you busy all damn day. He’s not the only one that’s hungry.”

 

“You could’ve feed yourself,” Mick pointed out.

 

“You banned me from the kitchen!” Len reminded Mick.

 

Barry snickered. “Why did you ban him from the kitchen?”

 

“Because the little asshole burnt down a safehouse a year ago trying to make a goddamn grill cheese,” Mick told Barry before turning back to his partner. “You could’ve ordered take out.”

 

Barry didn’t know what a grilled cheese was, but between Mick’s obviously overplayed outrage and Len’s failed attempt to hide his embarrassment, he was sure that whatever it was, it should have been fairly easy to make. At least, easy enough not lead to a large structural fire.

 

“Like you didn’t enjoy that fire,” Len mumbled under his breath before raising his voice back to normal limits. “You promised to make homemade lasagna if I helped bring Barry back here.”

 

“What’s lasagna?” Barry asked. He figured it was probably some sort of food based on the sentence, but the way Len nearly moaned the word made him far more curious about this “lasagna” than he had been about “grilled cheese.”

 

“Oh man, you don’t know what you’re missing. There’s no way to describe its beauty. Not without know what mermaids eat at least. Wait, what do you eat? Mick probably needs to know what to feed you,” Len chattered with an excitement Barry had a feeling the man would deny later.

 

“Mermaids aren’t too picky. We’re omnivores, so as long as it’s not poisonous it should work,” Barry informed them. Well, he was really telling Mick, since it appeared that was who was going to be feeding him, but Len was nodding along like what Barry said was important.

 

“Great then. Guess that means I’m making lasagna. Len, you wanna keep Barry company,” Mick suggested.

 

Barry hated that idea. While he had been enjoying Len’s company with Mick here too, the idea of being alone with the other human was unsettling. Something about Mick’s quiet strength put him at ease in a way that felt dangerous for a human, but Barry couldn’t have controlled the feeling even if he wanted to. Len may have seemed like a good person - relatively at least since apparently both the men who saved him were criminals - his presence didn’t evoke the same feeling.

 

“There’s no need. I’m still tired. Why doesn’t Len go help you so I can rest?” Barry babbled quickly. Both men shot each other a look before turning twin stares of disbelief towards Barry.

 

“Sure thing, Barr. I’ll go chop something or wash dishes or something so Mick’ll feed us faster. You rest up, alright?” Len offered. Barry nodded gratefully as both men moved towards the door. Len quickly left, but Mick hung back.

 

“You’re gonna be alright now. I promise, alright Barry? No one is going to hurt you when you’re with us,” Mick swore. Barry shouldn’t believe him, but he did. Somehow, Barry knew that Mick was telling him the truth. Barry was safe, as long as Mick was by his side.

 

“I know,” Barry admitted with a small smile. Mick was still smiling back at him as he shut the door.

 

Barry, not knowing what else to do, decided to stick with his lie. He wasn’t too tired, but he could probably still sleep. The fading cotton-filled feeling in his head wasn’t completely gone, and he focused on that haze until Barry couldn’t feel anything anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry gets some things cleared up for him.

_ Barry was excited. He absolutely loved swimming out to Starling Kingdom. Their neighboring kingdom was dark and gritty in a way many from Central Kingdom found off-putting, especially since it was actually closer to shore, and by all accounts should have at least been brighter. Barry had always loved the harder, faster pace of the city compared to his home. In all honesty though, he knew that it probably had more to do with the ruler of Starling than anything else.  _

 

_ Oliver Queen was one of Barry’s closest friends since he was a young boy, but because they lived so far apart, and were both training to lead their people, they didn’t get the chance to visit each other often. That closeness only expanded once Oliver met his wife, the lovely and kind Felicity Smoak. She and Barry had immediately developed a close friendship, and it had served to strengthen the bonds between ruling families of Central and Starling Kingdoms. _

 

_ It was due to his friend’s marriage that Barry had managed to convince Joe, with the help of Lord Eobard, to allow Barry to visit Starling again. The couple was hosting an anniversary party in honor of their first year of marriage, and the political nature of the party had been enough to get Barry permission to go to Starling for a week. _

 

_ “Barry, pay attention,” Eobard snapped at him as he ducked to avoid Barry nearly ramming into his fin from behind. _

 

_ “Crap! Sorry Eobard,” Barry apologized quickly. _

 

_ “It’s Lord Eobard, my prince,” Eobard reminded him with a small smirk. _

 

_ “You’re my friend though, and you call me plain old Barry all the time. Why do I need to use the title?” Barry shot back with a similar smirk. It was a familiar argument, and Barry could have copied back Eobard’s counterargument word for word in his sleep. He preferred instead to let Eobard go on his usual rant though. It was far more amusing. Besides, he could see the guards trying to hide their snickering. What better way to keep their minds sharp for the trip than to keep their spirits up? _

 

_ “You must use the title because you are a Prince, and I am your tutor. I’m quite fond of you, my prince, and I’m glad you return the affection, but it’s unbecoming of the heir apparent to use such informal language with a Lord. Much less one that holds my rank. You must practice these simple skills. Whereas I don’t have to use the title because as your tutor, I’m technically your superior,” Eobard lectured. _

 

_ “Yeah, yeah. And I do use the titles with everyone who matters, but you’re practically family. Family doesn’t need titles,” Barry reminded him with a grin. _

 

_ Eobard merely smiled softly and bumped Barry’s shoulder once Barry reached his tutor and they were now swimming alongside each other. “You’re to kind to me.” _

 

_ “You’re not kind enough to yourself,” Barry countered. He could see Eobard gearing up for another speech, so Barry quickly cut him off. “I’m getting bored with the straight path. What do you say you and I make a quick detour to the giant kelp forest. You’ve been wanting to show me how to make kelp baskets anyways, and what better way than to pick our own fresh kelp!” _

 

_ “I don’t know Barry. It’ll add to the journey, and the sooner we can get you inside of Starling, the safer you will be,” Eobard told him. Despite his tutor’s words, Barry could tell the other man was tempted. After all, Barry was right. The best way to make a woven kelp basket was with fresh kelp, and it’s not like they had any in Central to use. Besides, they were already in the outskirts of Starling. What’s the worst that could happen? _

 

_ “Please,” begged Barry. He pulled out his greatest weapon this time, in hopes Eobard might agree to his request. He rounded his eyes as much as possible, gently poked out his lower lip, and willed himself to look distressed. Eobard and Joe were the only ones who were able to resist the power of this look, and even then it still had the power to sway him on occasion. _

 

_ “Fine, my prince. Lead the way. Guards, you stay on the outside of the forest and make sure nothing comes in behind us,” Eobard ordered as Barry cheered and began to quickly swim towards the kelp forest. _

 

__________________________________________________________________________

  
  


“Barry?” a muffled voice called out, jarring Barry from his dream. Barry jolted again, jarring his injuries, and causing him to cry out in pain.

 

That noise was apparently too much for Mick’s nerves, as the larger man forced himself into the room. Mick looked around the room while he fiercely brandished the fork in his hand as though he was planning to use it to take out whatever was hurting Barry. 

 

“Sorry about that Mick. I pulled on my wound a bit when I woke up. Is that the lasagne?” Barry asked, his stomach growling embarrassingly as he asked.

 

While he wasn’t a fan of how vulnerable it made him look, at least he was able to quickly establish something to talk about. Barry was starting to remember what happened to him, and he had to keep that to himself. Just because Mick and the others didn’t want to hurt Barry, it didn’t mean Eobard and his guards would be safe.

 

Mick laughed at his question. The beauty of the sound more than made up for Barry’s embarrassment. “It’s lasagna, Barry, not lasange. No need to be embarrassed though. Len’s little sister used to call it that when she was a kid.”

 

Mick handed over the plate and the fork, and Barry tried to figure out exactly how he was supposed to eat this “lasagna”. Eobard had told him what forks were, and that they were used for by humans when they ate, but there hadn’t been a need to teach him how to use it. He wasn’t sure exactly sure how this work was supposed to help him eat. Maybe it was like a trident? Only, the lasagna was a giant piece, and he didn’t think the fork would hold the whole thing. Barry trusted Mick to give him what he needed to eat this strange dish, but he also really didn’t want to drop the entire portion in the tub. On top of how wasteful it would be, Barry didn’t want all of that mess in the water with him. So Barry balanced the plate on top of his fin as he tried to figure this thing out, and tried not to giggle at how well the red-tinted dish matched his scarlet-colored fin.

 

“Need some help with that, doll?” Mick offered.

 

Barry blushed. God, how stupid must he look? He couldn’t even figure out how to feel himself like a human. Why was Mick even bothering with him?

 

“Hey, there’s no need for that long face. It just didn’t occur to me you might not be used to forks. Would you pass it back to me? I’ll show you how to use it. It’s easy,” Mick quickly assured.

 

Barry quickly passed the fork back, trying to force his cheeks back to their normal shade. It was more than a little difficult, especially when his fingers brushed Mick’s as he passed the tool back. When did Barry turn into such a blubbering idiot? Iris could never find out. He’d never live down the teasing.

 

Mick quickly leaned over into Barry’s container and used the fork to stab into the mass of food, and gently flicked his wrist to separate a small, bite-sized piece. He then shifted forward, silently offering the piece to Barry. He leaned forward for the bite, mouth completely enclosing the end of the fork and the food it held. He tried to remain dignified, or as much as he could when someone else was feeding him. They quickly went out the window once he registered the taste of the lasagna and starting moaning.

 

“Gods that’s incredible! I’ve never tried anything like this,” complemented Barry. It was as much to keep him from shoveling the whole thing into his mouth like an animal as it was to compliment Mick. Both seemed to do the trick, as Mick grinned smugly at him.

 

“Glad you like it. You want to try with the fork now?” Mick offered, flicking the fork around in a single, smooth mood. Barry felt a heat stirring in his gut at the thought. The gracefulness of his fingers was incredible, and Barry couldn’t stop himself from wondering what else they could do. 

 

Barry shook himself from those  _ very inappropriate _ thoughts and grabbed the fork. He tried to mimic Mick exactly, but his actions weren’t nearly as smooth as the other man had been. Regardless, after a slight struggle he was able to separate a bite from huge chunk in the middle.

 

He looked up at Mick, ready to share in his success, when he saw the look the other man was giving him. It was one he recognized well. Hell, Barry was sure he looked the same. Mick’s expression was full of fond amusement, but it was the touch of something else in his eyes and smile that made Barry’s grin fill out more. Whatever feelings he had rising inside of him, Mick had them too.

 

Barry smile stayed as he turned back for the delicious food Mick made for him. Well, him and Len. He really understood the other man’s insistence that Mick come make him this. Barry was positive that it was the best thing he’d ever eaten. 

 

He was barely through with his food when the door opened again, far more gently than Barry had seen yet. It made sense when he saw who stepped through. This time, there were two people who came through. Both were slender women, and despite their smaller size, Barry had no doubt that they were just as dangerous as Mick and Len could be.

 

The first woman to step through was beautiful in a way screamed danger. Her unmarred, delicate-looking skin hinted at a fragility that didn’t exist anywhere else in her appearance. Everything about this woman was deliberate, from her chocolate-colored curls, her perfectly applied makeup, to her sharply-pointed shoes that went most the way up her legs. Her smirk and crystal blue eyes were familiar in a way that completely settled him. This woman was obviously Len’s sister that Mick mentioned. Even after one meeting, Barry was sure he’d recognize those features anywhere.

 

The woman behind him had a kinder look on her face, but it was paired with a sharper appearance. Her wild hair, affinity for black leather, and her dark makeup gave her a toughness that didn’t match her sweet smile. The kit in her hands gave away her role in Barry’s tiny new room. This woman appeared to be the doctor that treated him. Barry knew he was injured, and that Mick wasn’t going to let anything happen to him, but seeing a human doctor upclose and personal was starting to really frighten him. He’d been hearing horror stories about people like this woman for far too long not to be.

 

“I guess you’re feeling better then, if you’re awake this time,” the second woman stated cheerily, already moving past Mick and kneeling beside him to poke at his chest. The woman may have been the doctor that kept him from dying, but he was really starting to doubt her skills. What kind of crazy person went straight up and poked a stab wound?

 

“Ow!” Barry cried out. Mick growled warningly at the woman. Was that a normal thing humans did? He didn’t think so. It felt special for Mick. Something about the noise felt special to Barry too, but he tried to will that thought away. This was so not the time.

 

“Jesus Shawna, I see you still haven’t fixed that bedside manner of yours,” the second women commented with a laugh. 

 

“There’s nothing to check, you goof. This is just a preliminary check for infection. I need to change the wrappings to be sure though. You mind leaning forward for me, Barry?” Shawna replied breezily. It almost put him at easy, despite the slight pain her probing fingers was still causing.

 

Barry moved wordless to comply, and Shawna started to unwrap his chest. If Barry had a lick of sense, he would’ve watched what she was doing. He should be trying to get an idea of just how bad the wound on his chest was. Instead Barry stared at Mick, willing himself to stay calm with the other man’s strength. 

 

“Holy shit, that looks awful!” Lisa exclaimed, peeking around to get a good view of his chest once Shawna finished her work. Mick and Shawna both snorted inelegantly at Lisa’s surprise, and Barry knew he needed to look. If his injuries were really that bad, his people could be in grave trouble. He trust Joe and Iris to lead them in anything happened to him, but he wasn’t sure that his people would trust them.

 

What he saw made his blood run cold. Not even an inch away from his heart there was a grievous wound. It was puckered, red, and angry looking, even though it had been sown together. No wonder Lisa was horrified. Barry was too, as well as a little nauseous. He recognized the wound type of wound quite well. Somehow in his mind, he had become sure that whatever caused his injury was an accident. This wound however, was not. A weapon had done this, one nearly identical to the one that killed his parents so many years ago. The only difference he could see was his stab wound hadn’t reached his heart like his mother and fathers had.

 

“You alright, doll? You’re lookin’ kinda green. I know it looks bad, but Shawna’s already made sure it’s not going to leave you with lasting damage. Well, other than one supremely badass scar,” Mick assured Barry, moving around Shawna to start rubbing circles into his shoulder as Shawna worked to redo his bandages.

 

“I’m fine. Just didn’t realize it was so bad,” Barry told them, feeling guilty for his half-lie. He couldn’t tell the truth though. These people may be willing to help Barry, the randomly injured merman, but he couldn’t be sure that their decision to not turn him over to scientist or other authorities might change if they found out he was a prince with less than a year away from inheriting an underwater kingdom. 

 

“So what about your memory, Barry? Are you still having trouble recalling what happened to you?” Shawna asked as she pushed herself off the floor and took over Mick’s oddly shaped seat.

 

“Yes,” Barry lied quickly. The word was out of his mouth before he even thought about what he was saying. His guilt returned, even stronger this time, but, once again, Barry knew he was making the right call. He simply couldn’t put Eobard, his guards, and the citizens of Central and Starling Kingdom by admitting he was hurt on a trip between the two Kingdoms.

 

The three humans in the room all frowned deeply at his words, and Barry had a feeling he hadn’t managed to lie properly this time either. He didn’t bother to change his statement though. Instead Barry shot them what he hoped was his most convincing grin and willed them not to push it.

 

“Right then,” Shawna started back, disbelief present in her tone. “I should probably check you for head injuries then. Just to be on the safeside. I didn’t see any the first time I looked, but I’d feel a lot better if you let me look again. That alright?”

 

Barry agreed, and so he twisted his head around so Shawna could prod at his head, and move his hair haphazardly out of her way to get a better look at what she called “trouble spots.” He was sure she was being far rougher than necessary for a check like this, but he wasn’t about to call her out on it. From what little he had gotten to see if the woman, he was able to guess that this extra rough treatment was her way of punishing him for not being honest.

 

After Shawna was certain that his head really was fine, both women quickly left the room. Lisa with a kiss to his cheek that made him turn as red as his tail, and Shawna with strict orders for Mick to follow soon so Barry could get some more rest. He and Mick both nodded their agreement, but stayed silent until long after the girls left.

 

“You still don’t trust us do you?” Mick finally broke their self-imposed silence.

 

“I trust you not to hurt me,” Barry admitted. It was as close as he could come to fully trust Mick and the others. As kind as they had been so far, he was still trapped in unfamiliar kingdom -  _ on land _ \- and sporting a nasty injury that one of their species probably caused. He may have liked his strange new friends, but Barry wasn’t a fool. He knew he couldn’t trust them, not fully. Not when his safety wasn’t the only one in danger.

 

“But not enough to tell us about what happened to you. You’re protecting someone else, aren’t you?” Mick guessed. When Barry stayed silent, looking down at his hands to avoid the hurt look he was sure Mick held, the other man snorted loudly. Unlike his early laughs, this was not a particularly pleasant sound. It lacked the joy that made the others so beautiful. “Not that you’re going to tell me about it anyways.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Barry apologized. The words weren’t entirely correct, as Barry wasn’t actually sorry that he kept his companions presence to himself. He didn’t like how it upset Mick though, and for that much he could show remorse.

 

Mick smile down at him, clapping his shoulder one last time before he too moved towards the door. “Don’t worry about it. You just listen to the doctor’s orders and get some rest alright? I’ll come check on you again in a little while. Shout if you need anything before then.”

 

And Barry was left alone once more. The white walls, chair, and container that held him felt like they were suffocating him. Barry closed his eyes and tried to will himself to sleep, but it did not come easy. Even as he slept, he was being smothered by the oppressive white walls of the room that Barry was desperately trying not to think of as his prison.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry talks to Mick about going home.

“Barry? Can I come in?” Mick called as he doorknob shifted. Mick must have grabbed it to come in, but then thought better of it. Barry didn’t bother suppressing a grin at the uncharacteristic timidness. 

As much as Barry had been enjoying Mick’s company, he was tempted to say no. He was still in so much pain, and the last thing he wanted to do was pretend he was feeling better so than Mick would stop worrying him enough to release him. However, Barry had a duty, and he couldn’t let his feelings get in the way. Eobard and his guards could be in trouble, and Barry couldn’t afford to keep playing house with humans while he waited for his memories to come back. 

“Sure.”

Mick walked in slowly, holding a tray full of what Barry assumed was more food. It certainly smelled like it. His stomach had been rumbling for the past hour, but Barry held himself back. He had more important things to worry about before he ate.

“Mick…” Barry started.

“Morning doll. I brought you some breakfast. Figured if you can eat lasagna, omelets would probably be good for you too,” the other man interrupted, taking a seat on the strange white chair again as he offered Barry the plate in his hands. He wasn’t sure exactly what this “omelet” was supposed to be, but it was vividly yellow. Barry didn’t know how he felt about that.

“I’m not hungry,” Barry lied before starting with the truth. “I need to talk to you.”

Mick frowned with apparent disbelief at his words, but he did listen. He sat the too-yellow food on the counter beside him before turning back to Barry.

“What’s wrong?”

“How do you know something’s wrong?” he grumbled back, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Dunno. Could be that big ole pout you’ve got goin’ on, or…” Mick stopped talk and he moved his hand slowly towards Barry’s face. He could have - should have - moved back. Instead, Barry leaned into the finger gently running along his forehead, tracing Barry's stress lines. “It might be that big crease. Screams that something’ is bothering you.”

Barry could feel his lower lip sticking out further as Mick spoke, and he knew he should probably pull it back. Eobard always told him it made it look like a petulant child, but he was too upset to care. So much had happened since well… he wasn’t sure when. Since his memory cut out and he woke up in Barry was still struggling not to think of as his own personal prison. But he couldn’t stop, not until he spoke with Mick. If he only he knew what to say, this whole thing would be so much easier.

“I don’t know how to say this.”

“Then don’t think. Just speak,” Mick told him, smiling encouragingly and so beautifully Barry’s concentration slipped even further.

“Ineedyoutoputmebackintheocean,” Barry blurted out. He and Mick both winced at the volume. Now that Barry had found out what to say, apparently he couldn’t stop himself from yelling. God, he was such a mess. Why was Mick even helping him?

“That wasn’t English,” teased Mick.

“It… I was... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell like that,” Barry apologized. He took a deep breath before he spoke again, as much to procrastinate speaking as it was to calm his nerves. “I need you to put me back in the ocean. I’ve got to get home. There stuff… Listen Mick, I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I can’t stay here.”

“Of course you can’t. Soon as that side’s all healed up, I’ll take you back,” Mick replied. He seemed confused, his eyes widening as though what Barry had said was completely preposterous. Despite Mick’s reaction, and Barry knew it wasn’t. He wasn’t backing down; he couldn’t.

“I can’t wait that long. I’ve got responsibilities at home, and there’s people waiting on me,” Barry admitted.

It was stupid, trusting a human with this kind of information. Mick had already guessed that Barry wasn’t alone, but acknowledging that aloud was dangerous. If Joe or Eobard every found out he willingly told a human that he wasn’t alone, they would never forgive him. However, Mick and the others had done nothing but help him, and he didn’t have any other options. Surely Mick would understand.

“And how are those people gonna feel when they find you floatin’ cause you’ve got a giant, gaping wound in your side and you can’t protect yourself. Or swim properly, cause I’d bet that you need to be able to move your stomach with shooting pains to get far in the water. You still haven’t stopped flinching,” Mick pointed out.

“I have too!” Barry disagreed. Sure, his side was still bothering him, but as long as Shawna shared some more of her land medicines with him, Barry was confident he could make it to Starling on his own.

“Really?”

Mick moved forward suddenly, crowding his upper body into Barry’s space. He glared back. Barry may still be in some pain, but he couldn’t back down on this. Eobard, and Oliver and Felicity, and all of Central were waiting on him to return to the oceans. As much as a part of him wanted to stay with the beautiful man in front of him, moving to gently touch his side, Barry had to go.

“Ow!” Barry hollered. He took it all back.. Who poked someone’s side when they had a stab wound? Something was seriously wrong with Shawna and Mick.

“Not still hurting, huh?” Mick shot back. The jerk was way to amused considering how much pain he’d put Barry through. 

“That wasn’t nice,” Barry told him with a frown.

“Wasn’t trying to be nice,” Mick scowled. Despite the man’s growing anger, there was still a softness to in his eyes that was drawing Barry in like a siren’s call. “I’ve put a lot of work into making sure you don’t die, and you are throwing it away by getting in a hurry to get home. I’m sorry if you almost dying was inconvenient, but you’re gonna have to deal. I - we - care about you too much to let you kill yourself swimming home like that.”

Barry didn’t know how he felt about that. He was being forced to stay, but it was only because he was injured. Right? Would Mick really let him go? Would it matter either way if Barry stayed long enough for his side to heal naturally? Barry didn’t even know how long that’d take. Whenever he got injured at home, he always went to Caitlin for help, and she’d fix him far more quickly than he would be able to heal naturally. Caitlin would…

“What if I didn’t have to wait?” Barry asked. He didn’t know why it took him so long to consider this. If anyone asked, he was so claiming blood loss as his excuse.

“Unless you’ve got some magical healing powers, that ain’t happenin’.”

And to think, Mick thought he was the one being unreasonable. Either that or humans were even more misinformed about merpeople than he thought. Of course Barry didn’t have healing powers! Merpeople…. Well his people weren’t healers, but Barry knew someone who was. Caitlin could fix him up within minutes.

“I don’t,” Barry started to say. “But I know someone who does? If I can get to her, then she can heal me.”

“She live close the shoreline then?” Mick asked. He sounded wary of this plan, but Barry wasn’t going to let that get him down. His plan was great!

Caitlin lived close to a shoreline. It was the shore of an island about a week's journey away, but surely the sentiment was the same. Barry opened his mouth, fully prepared to stretch the truth, when he forced himself to snap it shut again. As much as Barry hated to admit it to himself, Mick did have a point. He didn’t stand a chance of swimming all the way to Caitlin’s. Barry maybe could have made it to Starling with some difficulty, but he’d be in just as stranded there. Oliver and Felicity wouldn’t let him return home either, and Barry had no way of knowing of Eobard and his guards were in trouble unless they had managed to finish their journey without him. 

“Not exactly, but I do know exactly how to find her. Her home is close to an island,” he forced himself to say.

Caitlin was going to be furious with him for telling humans this much about her, even if Barry wasn’t going to tell them anything too specific. He may trust Mick to help heal him, but he wasn’t a fool. Mick hadn’t even mentioned letting him go yet, and every mention Barry made of going home was swiftly shut down. He had hoped this wasn’t going to be the case.

“How do you suggest getting there then? Cause there aren’t any islands close enough to these shores you can swim to yet.” Mick frowned deeply as he spoke, obviously not on board with Barry’s totally awesome plan.

Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but it’s not like Barry could stay here. Maybe Barry could go to Starling and convince Oliver and Felicity to help him get to Caitlin. If nothing else, he was sure that he’d go completely insane if he had to spend too much longer in such a small space. Barry’s fins were already aching from being forced in such a small space for so long. His people were meant to roam.

“I can try. I’ve got to try. I’m sure Shawna can fix me up with something to help, right? It’s important.” 

“I don’t care what’s going on, not that you’d tell me either way, but I can guarantee you that it’s not more important than your life. Which you are betting by trying to swim back,” Mick kept arguing.

Every protest made the tightening feeling in Barry’s chest grow. Was Mick just lying to him about everything? He hadn’t seen anything past the room he was staying in, so for all Barry knew these people never had any intention of letting him go.

“I…” Barry forced out. He could barely pull in a breath to get the word out, so maybe Mick didn’t hear him.

“Len pointed out something that might work though. If you really need to get home that is. I assume you know what a boat is right?”

“Boat? Yeah, it’s those floaty-things that your people use to get around on the ocean. I see them all the time. You really think I don’t know what a boat is?” Barry glared. Now Mick had to insult his intelligence too, on top of everything else?

Mick huffed, sounding just as annoyed as Barry felt. “You don’t gotta be such a smart ass. It was a rhetorical question. You gonna let me tell you Len’s plan, or do you wanna keep going?”

Barry wanted to keep at what he was doing, but he tightened his jaw as he nodded instead. Arguing like this with the human most likely to get him home was not productive, and Barry was too upset to say anything else now.

“If you are sure this friend of yours can heal you, we’ll take you to her. Len and Lisa stole a boat before you woke up. We would’ve mentioned earlier, but I didn’t think you’d tell us where we to take you.”

“You what!” Oh god, Barry was right! They were only pretending to be nice, so they could trick him into taking him back. They already had a boat, and had been planning since the beginning to take him back themselves. He needed to get away, although how could he? Even if he could get back to the ocean, Barry would risk leading these humans to whoever he went to for help.

“Seriously Barry, think about it for a second. You won’t even tell us what skewered you or who you were with, and we aren’t dropping you off unless there is someone to take care of you. Now, if you are okay sharing with us where to find this friend of yours, and you’re sure she’ll be able to get you fixed up, we can take you,” Mick explained. 

He was smiling gently at Barry in a way that had calmed him so much over the last several days. How could he fall for this? Eobard was right about him. A pretty man smiles at him and tells him some pretty lies, and Barry falls for it hook, line, and sinker. For a human, nonetheless.

“Of course I’m not telling you where to find anyone else! Why would I? I’m not helping you turn anyone else like me into your prisoner!” Barry exploded.

He was shaking, and he couldn’t tell if it was rage, fear, pain, or some combination. Barry hated this. He just wanted to go home, which seemed to be completely out of his grasp.

“Barry…” Mick reached out for him. Barry tried to pull himself away, but his stupid prison was too small. Mick was still able to grab his arm. Barry started crying again, ignoring Micks attempt to sooth him. He was afraid and in so much pain. Barry would have been better off if he hadn’t survived whatever tried to kill him.

“Hey, hey. Please don’t cry,” Mick begged. He looked as lost as Barry felt. It made his fury rise. If he wasn’t so busy sobbing, he may have done something about it. As it was, all Barry could bring himself to do was try again to pull himself away from Mick again. At least his captor moved away this time. “Barry, you are not our prisoner. I thought we already went over this. We really aren’t holding you, I swear. Len and Lisa got the boat ‘cause we figured it’d be a while until you were healed, and we didn’t think you’d want to stay in the bathtub for that long.”

“That’s a pretty story, Mick, but I don’t believe you. You’re just... wait… What’s a bathtub?”

Mick tapped the side of his prison cell with his foot. “That is.”

“So you mean to tell me you just happened to have one of these ‘bathtubs’ on hand?” Barry snapped.

Mick managed to surprise Barry once again. The other man burst out laughing, the force shaking his entire frame. Barry tried not to let it show how much it was bothering him that Mick had completely dropped the pretense of comforting Barry, but something of the pout must of showed on his face.

The man started trying to control his laughter, tears of mirth streaming down his face in a harsh parallel of Barry’s. “I’m so sorry. It’s not that funny. It just didn’t even occur… Everyone on land has bathtubs, Barr. Well, either the one of these or a shower. The little nozzle above your tail. We use ‘em to clean up. The water rinses off sweat and dirt.”

“Rinses… is that a worry for humans? I mean, I’ve always heard you guys were filthy, but that seems strange. I… stop distracting me! This is serious.” 

“I’m not trying to distract you,” Mick tried to assure him. His eyes were wide and honest, like they’d been the whole time they’d known each other. Barry just wished he knew if he could trust it. “Just trying to tell you what is going on. The truth. We don’t want to do anything but help you and make sure you get home. We’ve all had… trouble in our past, and we just want to help you get over yours and get you home.” 

“I don’t believe you,” snapped Barry. 

Mick’s frown only grew at his word. Barry tried not to feel guilty for putting such a sad look on such a beautiful face. He failed miserably, but refused to back down anyways. Even if Mick was telling the truth, Barry couldn’t tell these humans where his home was any more than he could afford to stay.

“What can I - we - do then? To let you know we are just here to help you.”

“Let me go!” Barry was begging by this point. It was very unprince-like of him. He was sure if Eobard or Joe saw them they would disapprove, but Barry didn’t care. He was desperate to get home, or at least to Starling. 

“I’m trying,” Mick retorted. 

“No, you’re trying to take me home. There’s a big difference, especially since I don’t think you’re actually going to let me go once we get there,” he confessed.

Oh great, there was the guilt again. Mick looked so upset. Barry tightened his jaw, refusing to back down. Mick, Len, Lisa, and Shawna had been so kind to him, but he couldn’t let that cloud his common sense. 

“That’s… fine you think that,” Mick choked out, staring deep into Barry’s eyes. He couldn’t look away. “I can see why you don’t trust us, but right now you don’t have a choice. If you don’t want to tell us where your home is, then you’re going to have to deal with us and the bathtub until your side has healed enough for you to swim on your own.”

“Do you promise? That you’ll let me go I mean,” Barry pleaded.

“Didn’t think you trusted us enough for that to matter.” Mick’s lower lip was sticking out slightly as he spoke, and on anyone else Barry would have sworn they were pouting. Barry certainly looked like he was. Seeing the look on Mick, all Barry wanted to do was make the discouraged expression disappear.

“I… Can I hear it anyways?”

“Yeah, doll,” Mick spoke slowly, moving a hand out as he spoke to gently lead Barry to stare into his eyes. Barry should have resisted, and he knew it, but he was too overwhelmed to stop himself from leaning into his only offered comfort. “I swear to you that me - and the rest of the Rogues - we’re gonna make sure you get home safely.”

“Thank you.”

Barry reached up again to wipe his tears away. He wasn’t sure when he started crying again, only that something in Mick’s searing expression told him he didn’t need too. Barry still didn’t trust these Rogues fully, but he didn’t have a choice in the matter either. He was alone and injured, and these humans were his only hope. So Barry nodded in response, his movements slow so as not to lose Mick’s comforting touch on his cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think either here or on Tumblr at theoriginalicecreamqueen.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! I've apparently got no self control, as this one is also going to end up longer than I was originally planning too. There is going to be a few more chapters to this that aren't ready yet, although I'm going to try to get Chapter 2 up today. Let me know what you think either here or on my tumblr: theoriginalicecreamqueen.


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